Tongs



March 7, 1933. N. K SMH-H Tones original Filed Dech, 1927 Syvum/woz @ttor new@ Patented Mar. 7, 1933 Unirse STATES PATENT OFFICE i NELSON K. SMITH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO BYRON JACKSON CO.,

OF WEST BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE TONGS Application filed December 3, 1927, Serial No. 237,509.4 Renewed .Tune 12, 1931.

, This invention relates to tongs, and is more particularly related to tongs which are adapted for use in the making up and breaking of strings of casing, drill pipe, and the like, used in the construction or drilling of oil or like wells.

Casing tongs have heretofore been provided for the making up and breaking of strings of casing and drill stems but each size of pipe casing and pipe collar has re'- quired a tong specially built as to size in order to handle the same or the tongs have been provided with removable jaws enabling the same to be used upon pipes or their pipe collars which are of larger eX- terior diameters than the pipe with which said collars are associated.

An object of this invention is to provide a tong constructed to enable the same to be' used upon pipe and the pipe collars thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide tongs including a novel locking means adapted for locking the gripping members of the tongs in position to grip either the drill pipe or the collar associated therewith.

Another object of this invention is to provide a tong including a handle, gripping means pivotally secured to the handle, and releasable clip means secured to the handle for holding the operating line securely to said handle.

Other objects' and advantages of this invention, it is believed, will be apparent from the following detailed descriptionof a preferred embodiment thereof, as illustrated i1 the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: v

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the tong embodying this invention, illustrating the tong as secured to a pipe collar shown in endl sectional view. l

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmental view of the tong embodying this invention, illustrating the same as secured to a pipe shown in end section. p

Figure 3 is' an enlarged fragmental view illustrating the clip securing means embodied in this invention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmental view illustrating the lock means embodied in this invention for locking the tong gripping means in position to grip either the plpe or pipe collar.

In the preferred embodiment of this invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 1 indicates a handle which is adapted to be supported in any suitable or desirable manner, as is well understood in the art, by means of a hanger (not shown) secured to the handle preferably at the points 2, 3, and 4. The handle 1 is pivotally secured to an arcuate jaw or yoke 5 as by means of a pivot pin 6.` A second arcuate jaw 7 is pivoted to the end of the jaw 5 opposite to the pivot 6, the connection betweeny jaws 6 and 7 being constituted by a pivot pin 8. The jaw or yoke 5 and the jaw 7 together substantially form a circle to surround a pipe to be engaged by the tong. j In order to clamp the gripping jaws in position, on the pipe 9 or drill .pipe collar 10, the end of the gripping jaw 7 is provided with a pair of lugs 11 and 12, and the inner end' of the handle 1 is provided withy a complementary lug 13. In clamping the tong on the pipe 9, the lug 13 is engaged behindthe lug 12 and the handle 1 pivoted on the pin 6,

resulting in the pulling of the end ofthe jaw 7 inwardly toward the'yoke 5 to restrict the circle between the aw 7 and yoke 5, and thereby clamping the tong on the pipe 9. In clamping the tong to the pipe collar 10, the lug 13 is engaged behind the lug 11y and the handle rotated on the pin 6, moving the aw 7 vtoward the yoke 5 and to a greater degree restricting the substantially circularA passage formed between the jaw y7 and yoke 5.

Means are provided for locking the tongs against Vremoval from the pipe 9 or pipe collar when the said tongs are in use, which means preferably comprise a keeper 14 which is pivotally secured to the jaw 7 at a pin 15 and provides a pair ot shoulders 16 and 17 which are adapted to be selectively abutted against a stop the shoulder 18 or the yoke 5 depending upon Whether the tongs are used on the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10. rl`his keeper 111 is really a hand-controlled stop for limiting the outward swinging movement ol' the jaw 7 at two positions, as will presently appear. When used on the pipe 9, the shoulder 13 engages the shoulder 18 and when the tongs are engaged upon the pipe collar 10, the shoulder' 17 engages the shoulder 18. Thus, the keeper relatively locks the yoke and jaw in two separate positions. A spring 19 is mounted between the end 20 of the keeper 111 and the end 21 ot the jaw 7 in position to normally urge the keeper 14C outwardly. 1t will be noted that when the keeper 14 is in shoulder-engaged position, the keeper bridges the pivot pin 8 between jaws 5 and 7 and the two shoulders 17 and 18 (or 16 and 18) will prevent outward movement of the jaws 5 and 7 relative to each other, thus preventing the jaw 7 from swinging open far enough to permit the pipe 10 to pass laterally out ot the tongs. However, since the abutment of the keeper lll and the shoulder 18 only limits the outward movement of the jaws 5 and 7, manipulation ol' the handle 1 to draw the jaws toward each other will not be atlected by the engagement of the keeper and stop shoulder. The yoke 5 is provided with an inserted gripping jaw 22 which is provided with two independent gripping surfaces formed by forming the inner periphery of the aw 22 of two different radii, as illustrated at 23 and 24C, the surface 23 being formed to a curvature to approximately t the pipe 9 and the surface Q4 being formed to a curvature to approximately correspond to the exterior surface of the pipe collar 10. The jaw 7 is also formed to permit the same to grip either the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10 as the same is r'formed to a diameter on its inner periphery greater than the exterior diameter of either the pipe 9 or pipe collar 1G, thereby causing the j aw 7 to be engaged only at a portion of its inner periphery with the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10. A die 231 carried on a pin 2411, inserted in the bore 25 formed in the aw 7, is provided for gripping the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10 and is usually urged into the gripping position by means of a spring 26.

The locking means provided by the keeper 14 is particularly essential to the successful operation of a tong oi this typo, as when the handle 1 is moved in a direction to tend to disengage the lugv13 from either the lug 11 or 12 to move the tongs into position to permit the same to be actuated by the jerk line31 to make up or break the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10, the keeper 1-1 will operate to hold the tong in position on the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10 until the jerk line has again operated to cause the tongs to grip the casing or drill stem.

ln order to clamp the tong on the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10, the handle 1 is provided with a gripping handle 32 which is provided with a guard 33 and the keeper 14: is provided with a handle 34 and the operator gripping the handles and l may swing the tong around the pipe or pipe collar and again actuate the handle 3% to the position to cause the same to lock the jaw 7 in the proper position to grip either the pipe or pipe collar.

In order to permit the jerk line 31 to be removably secured to the handle 1 and not be secured in position in a manner to prevent the same being accidentally disengaged, a clip 35 is provided which acts to close the hook 36 formed at the end of the handle 1 within which the jerk line 31 is secured. The clip 35 is secured at a pivot pin 37 to the handle 1 and is yieldably urged in position to close the hook 36 by means of a spring 38. rlhe clip 35 has one end positioned inside of the tip of the hook so that the spring 38 yieldinglyurges the clip into engagement with said tip.

`Formed on the opposite sides of the handle 1 are eyes 39 and 40 into which a dead line L11 or the like from an automatic actuating mechanism may be secured to rotate the tong on the pipe 9 or pipe collar 10. |The eyes 39 and 40 are provided on the opposite sides of the handle 1 in order to permit the line 41 to be secured to either ot said eyes, depending upon the position of the tongs as the tongs are inverted in use when they are employed for the alternate purposes of making up and breaking the string or casing or drill stem.

It will be noted from the examination of Figures 1 and 2 that when the keeper 14 is in the position indicated in Figure 1, the spring 19 will operate to hold the jaw 7 in such position that the lug 11 will be heldin the path of the actuating lug or dog 13 formed on the head of the tong handle or lever 1, and when the keeper is held in the position indicated in Figure 2, the spring 19 will operate to hold the lug 12 in the path of the actuating dog or lug 13. Ot course when the lever is actuated, the spring 19 yields and permits the jaw 7 to move inwardly to come against the clamped part.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that l do not wish to be limited to the details of construction herein set forth, which are susceptible to modication without departing from the scope of my invention as delined in the appended claims.

l claim:

1. In a tong to engage pipes and collars of dierent diameters, the combination of a handle in the form of an operating lever for the tong, a yoke pivotally attached to the head of the lever andl extending partially around the circumference of the pipe or collar to be clamped, a clamping jaw pivotally secured to the end of the yoke remote from the lever, a hand-operated stop pivotally attached to the aw and having means for engaging the yoke to hold the clamping jaw in two different positions with respect to the axis of the pipe, to receive a relatively small or a relatively larger pipe, and means on the head of the operating lever for engaging the end of the said jaw in either of the said positions to clamp the pipe or collar between the jaw and the yoke.

2. In a tong to engage pipes and collars of different diameters, the combination of a handle in the form of an operating lever for the tong, a yoke pivotally attached to the head of the lever and extending partially around the circumference of the pipe or collar to be clamped, a clamping jaw pivotally secured to the end of the yoke remote from the lever, a hand-operated stop pivotally attached to the aw and having means for engaging the yoke to hold the clamping aw in two different positions with respect to the axis of the pipe, to receive a relatively small or a relatively larger pipe, a spring between the i hand-operated stop and the aw urging the jaw in an outward. direction., and means on the head of the operating lever for engaging the end of the said jaw in either of the said positions to clamp the pipe or collar between the jaw and the yoke.

3. In a tong to engage pipes and collars of different diameters, the combination of a handle in the form of an operating lever for the tong, a yoke pivotally attached to the head of the lever and extending partially around the circumference of the pipe or collar to be clamped, a clamping jaw pivotally secured to the end of the yoke remote from the lever, a hand-operated stop lever pivotally attached to the jaw near its pivotal connection to the yoke, said stop lever and said yoke having means cooperating to enable the stop lever to be set in two different positions operating to hold the said jaw in'two different positions with respect to the axis of the pipe to enable the tong to receive a relatively small or a relatively larger pipe or collar,

and means on the head of the operating lever for engaging the end of the said jaw in either of the said positions of the same to clamp the pipe or collar between the jaw and the yoke.

e. In a tong to engage pipes and collars of different diameters, the combination of a handle in the form of an operating lever for the tong, a yoke pivotally attached tothe C; head of the lever and extending partially` around the Vcircumference of the pipe. or collar to be clamped, a clamping jaw pivotally secured to the end of the yoke remote from the lever, a hand-operated stop lever pivotally attached to the jaw adjacent the pivotal connection of the yoke for engaging the yoke to hold the clamping in two different positions with respect to the axis of the pipe, and corresponding to a relatively small or a relatively vlarger pipe, said operating lever having an actuating dog for engaging the freel end of the jaw, and the free end of said jaw having two lugs to..A engage the actuating dog, one of which is in the path oi" the dog when the jaw is held in the position corresponding to a smaller pipe, and the other of which is heldl in the path of the actuating dog` when the jaw is in the position corresponding to a larger pipe.

5. In a tong to engage pipes and collars of different diameters, the combination of a handle in the form of an operating lever for the tong, a yoke pivotally lattached to the head of the lever and extending partially around the circumference of the pipe or collar to be clamped, a clamping jaw pivotally secured to the end of the yoke remote from the lever, a'hand-operated stop lever pivotally attached to the jaw adjacent the pivotalV connection of the yoke for engaging the yoke to hold the clamping jaw in two different positions with respect to the axis of the pipe, and corresponding to a relatively small or ya relatively larger pipe, said operating lever having an actuating dog for engaging the free end of the jaw, and the free end of said jaw having two lugs to engage the actuating dog, one of which is in the path of the dog when the jaw is held in the position corresponding to a smaller pipe, and the other of which is held in the path of the actuating dog when the jaw is in the position corresponding to a larger pipe, and a spring between the stop lever and the jaw urging the jaw in an outward direction with respect to the pipe, and operating to yield when the lever is actuated to permit the jaw to move in and clamp the'pipe. f

6. A tong including a handle, a yoke pivotally secured to the handle, a gripping jaw pivotally secured to the yoke, a latch member pivotally secured to the gripping jaw and providing a pair Vof shoulders, a shoulder formed on the yoke, and the shoulders of said latch member being adapted to be alternately engaged with the shoulder of said yoke to determine the position of the gripping jaw.

7. In a pipe tong, a handle having associated therewith a plurality of arcuate pipe gripping jawssubstantially forming a circle around a pipe to be engaged thereby, pivot means' interconnecting adjacent jaws for inward movement relative to each other to reduce the circle and for outward movement relative to each other to open the circle, a stop formed upon the exterior face of one jaw, a keeper comprising a bar pivoted to the exterior face of the adjacent jaw and extending across said pivot interconnecting said jaws for movement in a plane at right angles to the axis of said circle, a spring normally urging said bar toward the face of said adjacent jaw to abut the said stop for limiting outward movement of the jaws to prevent opening of the circle sufficient for the pipe to pass laterally out of the tong.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 22nd day of Nov. 1927.

NELSON K. SMITH. 

